And so, we come to the end of the list. It’s fitting to have, if not the best, then at least the most cherished, for last. I had no trouble at all picking this one. It’s been with me my entire life. My mother read to me out of it when I was just a little girl, instilling in me the beginning of a love of words, of the rhythm of language, of poetry. I loved it then and I love it now. I remember gazing at the little cameo pictures of the authors that accompanied each entry, most passed on, some still alive at the time, now surely all gone. I loved the fineness of the pages, the delicacy of the paper that was almost, but not quite, transparent. I don’t know where it came from, don’t know who in my family first got it or why. Was it assigned reading or bought for pleasure? The people who could have told me are gone now and so I’ll never know. I also am pretty sure that no one else in my family would be particularly interested in this book, and I find that terribly sad. Perhaps I should have read more to my daughter out of it. Maybe that would have had some influence on her, who knows? The time for reading aloud to my grandsons is pretty well past and my new granddaughter is too far away and not likely to get any closer. It’s okay. I’ll cherish this book for what it means to me and when the time comes, somone will be the right person to pass it to. And in the meantime, if the house ever catches fire, it’s coming with me.

7 Responses to Book A Day #30 – Would Save If My House Burned Down

Linda, my grandmother had a copy of this, and I remember her reading to me from it! Do you remember the one about “The Raggedy Man?” or “Little Orphant Annie”? (James Whitcomb Riley). The latter one was a little scary….I remember a lot of these. Makes me want to try to find the book. I don’t have it but my mom or sister might.

Must be another anthology. The only Riley poems in this one are “Out to Old Aunt Mary’s” and “Knee-Deep in June.” Perhaps this was a series? So cool to know there might be more…and that you recognized it!!

Ok, I found a copy online, and those poems were not in it. (I think I remember a James Whitcomb Riley anthology that my grandmother had as well.) But I do remember some of them so very well: “Crossing the Bar” (which my dad specified that we read at his funeral), “Keep A-Goin’,” “Jest ‘Fore Christmas,” “If,” “The Children’s Hour,” and others. Thanks for this reminder. I’ve got to look for the book!

YES! “Crossing the Bar” was one of my mom’s favorites as well. I read it at her service. And “The Highwayman” which is my all time favorite poem, thanks to how she read it to me. SO many memories. I remember making Jessica laugh at “The Gingham Dog and The Calico Cat.” Wow. Hope you can find it now!!

LInda, it has always been interesting that your mom and my dad shared the same birthday. And now I just realized that they had the same favorite poem. I have to believe those two know each other and have fun in heaven!